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Prep: 30 min. Steep: 2 hrs.
Yield: 2 gallons

Autumn Fruit Suspended in Liquid Gold.

This recipe comes to us from Maziar “Maz” Nooran, a St. Louis-based mixologist and owner of Flacos Latin Cocina. “Like many great ideas, this one came to us by accident,” Maz admits. “I accidentally ruined a big batch of sangria and had to make it work or eat the loss. So I got inventive.” Inventive indeed. This “accident” turned into a delicious blend of autumn flavors, honey, fresh fruit and a hint of herbs. It feels right at home served chilled or warm, and is at its best when shared among friends.

PREPARATION:

Gather 5 bottles of chardonnay, 1 bottle (750ml) of Everclear®, 3 cups of natural honey, 4 Red Delicious apples, 4 oranges, 4 cups of peach slices, 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 stalks of fresh rosemary and 3 stalks of fresh thyme.

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest from the oranges and remove the pith using a knife. Then place in a large, sealable container.

Pour the Everclear® and honey into the container with the orange zest. Seal tightly and let steep for at least 1 hour. As with all infusions, the more time it steeps, the more flavorful it will be.

Using some twine, make a bouquet with the rosemary, thyme and cinnamon sticks as depicted below. It doesn’t have to be perfect, as it’s just meant to keep the herbs together within your serving container. Any extra herbs or cinnamon sticks can be reserved for others uses or garnish.

Now, you’ll want to chop your peaches (if you bought them fresh), apples and peeled oranges into roughly 1-inch cubes. The size is subject to preference. This simply exposes more surface area of the fruit while cutting them into smaller chunks. For aesthetic purposes, we like cutting the oranges into wheels rather than cubes.

Place chopped fruit and your bouquet of cinnamon and herbs into a large serving container – at least two gallons. This is where everything else will be mixed in, so you want to be sure your container is large enough.

Add all 5 bottles of chardonnay along with the fruit in serving container.

Using cheesecloth and a mesh strainer, strain the honey and orange zest Everclear® infusion into the wine and fruit mixture. Some honey will find its way through, and while it may sink to the bottom, it adds great flavor.

Once strained, gently stir. Store in a refrigerator. Serve warm or chilled, and enjoy.

AUTUMN MEAD SANGRIA

Ingredients:
5 bottles chardonnay
1 bottle (750ml) Everclear®
3 cups natural honey
4 red delicious apples
4 oranges
4 cups peach slices
2 cinnamon sticks
3 stalks fresh rosemary
3 stalks fresh thyme

Instructions:

  1. Peel zest from oranges and place in a large, sealable container.
  2. Add honey and Everclear®, seal and let steep for at least 1 hour.
  3. Make a bouquet using rosemary, thyme and cinnamon sticks. Set aside.
  4. Chop apples, peeled oranges and peaches into roughly 1-inch cubes.
  5. Place chopped fruit and bouquet of herbs into a large serving container of at least 2 gallons.
  6. Add chardonnay to chopped fruit and spices.
  7. Using cheesecloth and a mesh strainer, strain the honey, orange and Everclear® infusion into the serving container.
  8. Gently stir, refrigerate to store. May be served warmed or chilled.
Created By: Maziar Nooran

Maz is a St. Louis-based mixologist. After making a name for himself at places like Barcelona and Momos Greek Tavern, he opened Flaco’s Latin Cocina, specializing in Latin fare and Caribbean-inspired sangria infusions.